Lost in the Dark All You Need is a Spark
by Halawen
Summary: Drew and Clare have barely been on speaking terms but they can't deny their feelings. Clare's about to leave to interview at Columbia but she and Drew have agreed to talk when she gets back. Will a trip to the hospital, a scheming Eli and some head trauma unravel their plans? Or can Drew win her back with some help from Owen? Fluff & drama.
1. The Shadows of Love

**Welcome to this new short story! Two in a row don't you love Short Story Month?**

 **Legal: I own nothing but the idea**

 **Important things to know before reading:**

 ***Begins just before Clare leaves for her Columbia interview**

 ***Adam did not die in the crash but he is in a coma**

 ***When Adam crashed Becky stayed in Florida and the Bakers moved back there so Luke never raped Zoe and nothing at all has happened with Drew and Becky**

 ***Owen goes to Ryerson and still hangs out with Drew and Dallas a lot**

 ***Things have been tense between Drew and Clare since he told her he wouldn't be a rebound**

 ***This story is mostly fluff but there's a little drama as well**

 **That should do it I hope you enjoy!**

 **Ch. 1 The Shadows of the Love We Made**

 **(DREW)**

"Okay I think that's it meeting adjourned enjoy your weekend everyone," I say calling the student council meeting to an end.

"When's your flight leaving Clare?" Jenna asks her as we begin gathering our stuff.

"Flight? Where are you going?" I question feeling a slight pit in my stomach that she is leaving, and especially because I didn't know. Things haven't been good between us but I couldn't deny my feelings for Clare and was hoping to make amends with her this weekend and hoping that we still had a chance. However if she's leaving this weekend I might be missing my chance.

"She's leaving us for the glamours of New York this weekend," Alli informs me.

"It will be a fast weekend my return flight is late Sunday night but I am excited," Clare grins with a hopeful elation that breaks my heart. Not that she's happy and excited but the possible reason for her feeling that way.

"Are you going to see Eli?" I ask but I'm a little afraid to hear her answer.

"No I have an interview at Columbia, I didn't tell Eli I was coming and if he does find out it's not from me. I have no intention of seeing or speaking to Eli while I'm there," she replies with an annoyed huff and I admit that makes me smile. "I do have to run though I still need to go home for my bag and call for a shuttle or taxi to the airport," Clare adds.

"Don't do that I can take you to the airport," I speak up.

"You can?" She questions with a slightly suspicious tone.

I can't really blame her with things being so strained between us recently. I was heartbroken after Bianca and then more heartbroken when Clare didn't want me and stayed with Eli after he cheated. I healed my pain with Zoe but it didn't keep me from wanting Clare and falling for her. Then just before break she broke up with Eli and we made love, it was incredible and then everything fell apart. She hated me after break, we sort of made amends but things have still been tense.

"I'd like to take you," I affirm and she smiles. Alli and Jenna are giving me a suspicious look and Dallas is winking at me.

"Okay then we need to go," Clare says.

She waves to Alli and Jenna and we walk out to my car. We ride to her house in silence and she runs in and grabs her bag putting it in the backseat.

"I'm sorry for the way things have been between us lately. I'm sorry for hurting you and listening to Dallas when he told me you were probably using me as a rebound. I was scared I think, scared to be with you, scared that I would never mean as much to you as Eli did, and scared that I could never be enough for you. So when Dallas said that and it offered me a way out I took it, I took the coward's way out but I should have talked to you. I should have stuck around while you were talking to Eli. I should have done something because I really do like you and care about you," I apologize.

"You're not the only one to blame. We should have talked instead of sleeping together the day after I broke up with Eli. If we had talked and you knew how I felt, if you were sure of it then it wouldn't have mattered what Dallas said. I didn't help matters behaving the way I did after break it just hurt so much. Seeing you every day, wanting to be with you and also partially hating you for how you were treating me, how you'd just left me and after I told Eli how much you meant to me and how much you'd done for me."

"You told him that?" I ask and she nods. "Maybe I could pick you up when you get back and we could have that talk about us that we never got to have. I'm not ready to give up on us just yet," I comment and Clare smiles.

"Talking would be nice," she says just as I pull up to departures at the airport. Clare gets out and opens the backdoor to get her bag, I get out to say goodbye.

"I'll text you with my return flight info so you know when to pick me up," she says holding her bag.

"Will you let me know your flight landed safely too?"

"Yes," she grins.

"I know you went in for a blood test yesterday to see if your cancer has come back have you heard yet?"

"Not yet I probably won't hear until Monday although I might hear on the trip. I'll let you know the results."

"Thanks," I smile.

"I have to run, thanks for the ride Drew," she says and stands on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek before rushing into the airport.

I touch my cheek where her soft lips were and grin to myself before getting back in the car and driving home. Dallas is out with Alli but I eat with my parents and go down to the basement. Adam's monitors are beeping away and I go sit with my brother. I know if he was conscious and he knew everything that had happened with me and Clare since the beginning of the school year he'd be upset. He's not conscious though he's still in a coma, they don't know if he'll ever wake up. Mom and Dad made the decision to move him home after Thanksgiving and he has home care nurses a few times a day. Because it would have been difficult to have his hospital bed and all the equipment upstairs we put him in the basement where Dallas used to be and Dallas is now in Adam's old room. We pray every day that Adam will wake up, even if he does wake up we have no idea if he'll be functional at all. I don't care how functional he is I just want my brother to be conscious again.

"I know you'd be so mad at me and at Clare if you knew what we'd done and how we've treated each other. We both screwed up but she's willing to talk, we might just have a chance. I hope that you wake up and come back to us Adam, I hope that you get to see how much I truly care about Clare."

 **(CLARE)**

I arrive on Columbia's campus and look around with a sense of awe and excitement. The thought that I could be attending here next year has me giddy. I arrived last night and caught the last shuttle to my hotel but it was hard to sleep I was so excited. I start walking toward the office when my phone rings; I pull it out because the hospital might call about my blood test. Instead I find Eli's name and picture flashing on the screen and I sigh. I didn't tell him I was coming to New York but he still found out somehow and he's been calling all morning. I put my phone on silent and head into my interview.

The interview goes very well, the woman is very nice and we talk a lot about my battle with cancer and chemo brain. She nursed her mom through cancer so she's very empathetic. I leave with a great sense of accomplishment and excited for the future. I begin walking toward Central Park, I'm so happy I feel like I'm walking on air and now all I want to do is explore. That's why I decided to stay the whole weekend so that I could explore Manhattan and get a feel for where I'd hopefully be living in the fall.

I walk a few blocks thinking about the future and smiling to myself. I almost call Drew just to share the news and my ecstatic attitude but I decide against it. We only just decided to talk and I'm sure he'd be happy for me but I don't want to talk about our relationship over the phone. I do however text him to give him my return flight info, and turn up the volume on my phone so I can hear if it rings. I doubt my parents will call but Alli probably will, the lady from Columbia might and the hospital might. I see that Eli has called four more times and sent a text asking to see me while I'm in town. Drew sends a text back saying he'd be there to pick me up and includes a smiley face. I grin and put my phone back walking another half block and going into vintage clothing store to look around.

While I'm in the store it begins to rain, I've seen dark clouds all day so I'm not surprised it's raining but nothing could darken my mood right now. I actually did check the weather report and brought an umbrella so I open it and keep walking. I see a little café up ahead and stop for some tea and something to eat; I sit down inside and watch the rain while I envision Drew and I eating here in the fall. While I'm eating in the café I get two more calls from Eli and I ignore them both. Just as I'm leaving the café my phone rings again, I huff with annoyance thinking that it's Eli once again but when I look at the display I see that it's the hospital.

"This is Clare," I answer.

"Hi Clare it's Dr. Blair I have good news you are still in remission no signs that the cancer has returned. I did want to call you myself and I didn't think it should wait until Monday because your blood test revealed something else."

"Something bad?" I question with a tinge of fear in my voice as I begin to dread what they found.

"I suppose that depends, the test revealed that you're pregnant," he tells me and my heart stops, my feet freeze I'm so shocked but he's still talking. "Approximately ten weeks pregnant. I wanted to tell you because you've been on maintenance medications and were still on them when you conceived it's quite possible that the medications were harmful so you should make an appointment with an OB/GYN as soon as possible."

"Uh-huh," I mutter but I'm still grappling with the fact that I'm pregnant.

"When you make an appointment they will probably call me for medical records. If you have any questions or concerns call me back."

I don't respond I just hang up; I don't have a response I'm just in shock. Even in my state of shock it's not hard to do the math; if I am ten weeks then the baby is Drew's! Eli and I haven't had sex since November so it's highly unlikely that the baby is Eli's. It doesn't really matter whose baby it is I'm beyond shocked that I'm pregnant. All my happiness and plans for the future are becoming derailed; I'm going to be a teen mom. Drew wanted to talk about us when we got back and now I have to tell him he's going to be a dad!

My heart is pounding and my stomach feels like a deep pit but also like it's tied in knots. Everything I was hoping for, planning for and excited for seems to be disappearing. I start walking again just out of instinct but realize I've dropped my umbrella. I don't even care I'm just in this fog of shock and I start walking back toward my hotel thinking I'd better go home early so I can discuss the baby with Drew.

I step off the curb to cross the street but I'm not paying attention and nearly get hit by a car. HOOOOOOOOOONK the car horn startles me just before I step in front of the vehicle and I step back, trying to step onto the curb but only half my foot gets on and I lose my footing on the sidewalk with rainwater rushing down it. I gasp as I start falling backward, instinctively I begin to turn to catch myself on my hands but I don't make it, I hit first with my arm and then my head hits against the cement with a cracking thud! I feel myself go numb and then everything goes dark.

 **(ELI)**

"Clare it's me you can't just ignore my calls I know you're in town please just come see me I want to talk. If you're going to school in New York then I think we can make it work. Call me back please," I beg leaving another voicemail. It's only the second one because up until now she's been declining all my calls.

I should be doing homework for Monday but I knew she was in town and I couldn't let her leave New York without talking to me. I wanted her back; I had to have her back! I'm actually going a little crazy in the apartment so I leave to go to campus, I can do my homework in my favorite coffee shop and continue trying to get a hold of Clare.

"What's with you?" Adrienne asks as I sit at a table. She's in my sound image class and we were working together on a project last week.

"My ex is in town."

"Trying to avoid her?"

"Trying to find her, I've called a bunch of times she won't pick up."

"If you're going to be that stalkerish why don't you just track her phone?"

"I hadn't really thought of that," I admit. I open the locator app on my phone and tell it to find Clare's phone. It takes a minute before zeroing in but when I see where she is I start to get worried. "I have to go," I say to Adrienne and leave the coffee shop. I begin walking to the subway while using my phone to look up the number for St. Luke's Hospital which is where the locator app said she was.

"St. Luke's Emergency," a woman answers.

"Do you have a Clare Edwards admitted?" I ask and hear her typing on the keypad.

"Yes we do she was brought in by ambulance half an hour ago. I can't give you anymore details unless you're family."

"I'm her boyfriend, I'm on my way I'm just getting on the subway," I tell the woman and hang up.

I get on the subway worried about why she was taken by ambulance to the hospital. It feels like the subway ride takes forever and then I have to run a couple of blocks to the hospital. I go into emergency and up to the admissions desk.

"I called a little while ago about Clare Edwards," I tell the nurse.

"One moment," she says and picks up a phone, "Dr. Conroy Clare Edwards boyfriend is here." She hangs up the phone and looks at me, "Please wait there for the doctor."

I nod and wait anxiously until a doctor approaches. He looks to be in his early forties, with a square jaw and brown eyes.

"I'm Doctor Conroy please come with me," he says. I follow him to the elevator and we go up one floor to intensive care.

"What's wrong with her? How bad is it?"

"When the ambulance brought her in they said they were told she lost her footing in the rain and hit her head. It was fairly serious, she had major swelling in her brain and we had to operate to relieve the pressure on her brain and reduce the swelling. We removed a portion of her cranium to relieve the pressure and she's currently under observation. She's unconscious but hopefully when the swelling and pressure go down she'll wake up. This is Clare's room; prepare yourself before you go in."

I nod taking a deep breath and open the door to Clare's room. I saw her in the hospital when she had cancer, I saw her with a shaved head and weak but nothing could have prepared me for what I see. Her head is wrapped and something is over her eyes, her arm is wrapped and on a splint and she's hooked up many machines and an IV with several bags.

"Will she be okay? What happened to her arm? What's on her eyes?"

"We don't know right now, if the swelling goes down and she regains consciousness hopefully she will be. We don't know the extent of the brain damage and we won't unless she wakes up. The trauma was significant a decompressive craniectomy is a drastic measure we take when there are no other options. When she fell she must have come down on her arm first she has a small fracture. Cooling packs are on her eyes to reduce swelling because of the surgery."

I nod having heard all he said but terrified about what it all means. Sitting down in a chair at Clare's side I take her hand in mine.

"Her phone was smashed when she fell and we haven't been able to track down any of her family."

"I'll…" I start to tell him I'll call her family but the thought of Helen here sickens me. I also know that Helen has been leaving with Glen a lot now that she works remotely and she travels with him on jobs. I decide it's better if I'm the only one here and I'm the only one that truly loves Clare. "I'll try to get a hold of them but she doesn't really speak to her parents."

"Does she have anyone?"

"Only me I'm all she needs."

"I'll give you some time with her but you'll need to fill out some paperwork," the doctor says and then leaves the room. He's gone for about an hour before returning with paperwork for me to fill out and then a woman comes in pushing another machine.

"What's that? Is something wrong?"

"It's an ultrasound machine," the lady says.

"An ultrasound machine for what?"

"I'm sorry I thought you knew," Dr. Conroy remarks, "as a matter of routine we took her blood for routine testing and it found that she was pregnant."

"Pregnant!" I exclaim as the ultrasound technician puts gel on Clare's belly and turns on the machine.

"We're doing an ultrasound to check on the status of the fetus," Dr. Conroy tells me.

"The fetus is fine, no damage, looks healthy but we'll continue monitoring based on Clare's condition. However it looks to be a perfectly healthy ten week fetus," the technician says turning off the machine.

" _Ten weeks?! We haven't had sex in m…Drew! The baby is Drew's,"_ I come to this realization silently but the shock must show on my face.

"We'll give you some time and return for the paperwork later," Dr. Conroy says leaving the room.

"You had sex with Drew? You're having a child with him?" I say to Clare's unconscious body when the doctor and technician are gone.

I'm angry now and have so many questions but I don't want to leave her. I stay with her all night and all of Sunday, I hardly leave her side to eat or anything. I just sit there holding her hand and hoping she wakes up. A doctor or nurse comes in about every half hour to check her vitals, brain activity and her swelling. For a day and a half she's all but lifeless and then finally late Sunday night a sign of life as she gently squeezes my hand!

"Clare?"

Her eyes flutter and open slowly, the cooling packs were taken off yesterday when there was no more swelling around her eyes. She blinks her eyes a few times and looks at me with a bewildered expression.

"Eli?" Her voice cracks hoarsely.

"I'm here," I smile.

"What happened? I don't feel very well. Did my cancer return? Is that why you came to Toronto?" She questions with much confusion and I realize she doesn't remember falling or even coming to New York.

"Clare what's the last thing you remember?"

She rolls her lip between her teeth as she thinks a moment, "I'm not sure. I remember you called to tell me you were coming for Thanksgiving. Drew told me we were doing a dinner for needy families."

I realize she doesn't remember anything after Thanksgiving! That means she doesn't remember my cheating, she doesn't remember anything that happened with her and Drew in the last few months. She doesn't remember breaking up with me or having sex with Drew! I can write the last few months of her life and I can fix everything for us.

"It's March Clare, you turned eighteen last month. You came to New York to live with me because we found out you were pregnant. Ten weeks pregnant with my child and we're going to move in together and get married."

"I'm pregnant?"

"Yes and we're both very happy about it but don't worry about that now you fell in the rain and hit your head. You had some head trauma and I didn't know if you would wake up. I'm so happy you did but I need to go find the doctor and tell him you're awake," I say and give her a soft kiss. I walk out to find the doctor; things couldn't be working out better I get to shape everything. Okay so there will be a lot of lies to cover and take care of but I'm wonderful at spinning tales I have no doubt that I can do it.

 **The update on Thursday, March 21** **st** **will pick up in Drew's pov as he's worried about Clare not returning. How long can Eli keep up his lies and keep Clare from the truth?**


	2. Be Mine Forever

**Be sure to visit my page on the DeGrassi Saviors website to vote for which story will replace Waiting on a Spark that hasn't Happened Yet when that ends. You have three choices and there are brief descriptions for each story in the poll. The poll will remain up until the last chapter of Waiting on a Spark that hasn't Happened Yet goes up which might be as few as four weeks or as many as ten it all depends on how much goes into these last few chapters. Love Me Back to Life and The Girls Next Door continue to stay within a few votes of the other so make sure to get your votes in.**

 **Just as all the other chapters this week have been this one is on the short side, quite short actually it's been a long and crazy day.**

 **Ch. 2 Be Mine Forever**

 **(DREW)**

"Dude will you stop looking at your phone," Dallas grumbles. We're playing video games in the basement but I keep checking my phone and I'm not paying attention to the game. There's also a big storm here and we're expecting the power to go out at any moment.

"I can't help it I haven't heard from Clare," I reply.

"Didn't you say her flight was cancelled because of the storm?"

"Yeah but I still thought I'd hear from her about a different flight or something."

"Maybe she can't reply because of the storm," Dallas says.

"Yeah maybe but I don't know something doesn't feel right," I tell him and then the power goes out.

"I'm sure she'll call in the morning, I think I'll sneak over to Alli's," Dallas grins.

"Don't get caught," I remark as we both get off the sofa.

Dallas leaves and I try to text Clare but I get no answer and when I try to call her it doesn't go through because cell towers are overwhelmed. Dallas returns home after an hour because Alli kicked him out. He tells me again that Clare is probably fine but I hardly sleep that night, I spend the whole night in the basement hoping that I hear from her. By Monday morning I still haven't heard from her, power has come back on but the storm did a lot of damage. Thankfully there's no school today because it's March break but I can't be happy about it because I'm still worried about Clare.

"Looks like you all survived the storm alright," Owen remarks coming into the basement.

"Yep minimal damage," Dallas nods.

"What's with you?" Owen questions sitting next to me.

"He's pouting because Clare's flight was cancelled and he hasn't heard from her," Dallas explains for me.

"Have you called her?" Owen inquires.

"I tried last night the cell towers were overwhelmed or out due to the storm."

"Well they're back up trying calling her again," Owen suggests.

I press on her contact while he goes back to see Adam and say hi. Everyone does it, doesn't matter that he's in coma everyone goes in to say hi or talk to him. I guess we're all hoping one day he'll just wake up when one of us back there. Or that if we talk to him enough it'll somehow get through whatever's keeping him unconscious and he'll remember how many people care about him.

"She's not answering," I tell them.

"Alli's on her way over with Jenna and Connor maybe the girls heard from Clare," Dallas suggests.

"Yeah I hope so. I'm going to hop in a shower, I barely slept and I need to wake up," I comment getting up while Dallas turns on the TV and the game system.

I go upstairs and take a quick shower before changing into some clean clothes. When I come back downstairs Alli, Jenna and Connor are here.

"Jenna and Alli heard from Clare," Dallas informs me.

"She's texted us a couple of times but when we call she won't answer. We heard her flight was cancelled and tried calling her last night and this morning. We texted to see if she was okay and she texted back that she was fine but that was it and when we call she won't pick up," Alli tells me and I can see I'm not the only one worried.

"She won't even answer my texts," I reply with a sigh as I sit down again.

"I'll text her," Dallas offers getting out his phone.

"Have you talked to her parents?" Owen inquires.

"I'll call her mom," Alli says getting out her phone.

"Clare just texted me back, she says she's fine and leave her alone. It's kind of rude and doesn't really sound like Clare," Dallas remarks finally getting worried.

"Her mom says Clare sent an e-mail saying that because of her cancelled flight and because it's break she's staying in New York for a few more days. Her mom didn't seem worried at all," Alli enlightens us.

"Well maybe she is just enjoying New York for a couple more days. It wouldn't be totally out of character for Clare to seize an opportunity like that," Connor comments.

"Look we'll try calling again and we can keep texting her but right now it's break and we should be doing something," Owen insists.

I don't really want to go out but Owen is right it will be just easy to text and call Clare out doing something as it will be at home. Since there's so many of us and it's still cold outside we decide to go miniature golfing. We play a round and I try to call and text Clare but she doesn't reply. Jenna texts her and Clare replies back that she can't talk right now but she's fine.

"Has anyone thought of calling Eli? I know she said she wasn't going to see him but with the storm maybe she's with him," Ali speaks up and I feel a nervous pit in my stomach at the thought that Clare is with Eli.

"I'll call," I comment getting out my phone. I only have his number because of Adam.

"What do you want?" He answers with a spiteful tone.

"Have you heard from Clare at all?" I ask trying to ignore his venomous tone.

"Why would I have heard from her?" Eli responds and then hangs up.

"I guess he hasn't heard from her either," I reply.

"Well she's texting us right? If she's texting us then she's okay like Connor said maybe she just took the opportunity to stay in New York and explore. Or maybe she's going back to Columbia until they give her an acceptance later," Dallas remarks.

I decide they're probably right, technically we have heard from her and her mom wasn't worried. Anyway it's not like Clare cancelled her flight it was the storm and it is possibly Clare decided to just stick around and see more of the city. I'd even believe she was just camped out at Columbia waiting to see if she got in.

I try not to worry but we still continue texting her throughout the day as does Alli. She replies to about half of Alli's texts and none of mine and her answers are always short but at least she's replying. On Tuesday I spend the entire day at home either talking to Adam or trying to get in touch with Clare. On Tuesday night she finally texts me back but only to tell me to stop texting her. I set down my phone with a sigh, something just doesn't feel right.

 **(ELI)**

"Doctor she's awake," I tell him. I've been here since Saturday when I traced her phone to the hospital. It's now late Sunday and she just woke up and the last thing she remembers is from October just before Thanksgiving. I couldn't be happier because it means I get to tell her anything I want about the last few months and change it to work in my favor.

The doctor goes back to have a look at her and says that she has some amnesia but since she remembers perfectly clearly everything before October he says she's lucky. He also says that considering her head trauma it's very possible she'll never regain that portion of her memory. I hope that she never does, as long as she doesn't I can plant the memories in her mind and she'll be mine forever.

"Aside from the memory loss you and the baby are both in good health. No more swelling on the brain, we'll replace the piece of skull tomorrow and after a couple days of recovery you'll be able to go home," the doctor tells her.

"Thanks Doc," Clare nods and he leaves the room. "Eli where are my parents?" Clare asks.

"When you told them you were pregnant they were furious and they kicked you out. That's why you came to New York so quickly to live with me," I tell her.

"I'm sure my mom hit the roof when she found out."

"Yes she did, you told me it was awful she yelled and called you all kinds of names. You called me in tears and I drove all night to Toronto to get you from Alli's house."

Clare smiles and her eyes start to close again, "I'm tired."

"You've been through a lot; sleep I'll be here with you all night." I assure her.

She smiles again and begins to fall asleep, I hold her hand and stay with her. Shortly after she falls asleep I hear her phone buzzing and realize her purse is by her bed. I take her phone out and see the text is from Alli asking about Clare's flight because of the storm. I look up Clare's flight and text Alli back that the flight was cancelled. A few minutes later her phone buzzes again and it's Drew, I clench my teeth and glare at his name on her phone. I don't reply to Drew. I realize I have a lot do before Clare is released, I'll keep her phone with me so I can reply to people, I know here password of course. First thing I do is e-mail her mom that she's staying in New York for a few days. Then I turn off Clare's phone and sleep in the hospital with her.

"I have to go out for a few hours, I have some things to do and I have to explain to my professor why I won't be in class," I tell Clare when she wakes up Monday morning.

"Eli you can go to class."

"No I can miss a class and I'd rather be with you. I just have a few things to do it shouldn't take more than two or three hours and then I'll be back. You just rest okay," I reply and kiss her forehead.

I take the subway to campus and find my professor in his office. I tell him that my girlfriend is in the hospital and having surgery so I won't be able to make it to class. He tells me what will be discussed in class and gives me the homework. Next I go home and look around, it looks like a bachelor college apartment which isn't so bad since I did tell Clare that she moved in with me rather quickly. Still I should make it look like she's been here a few days. I go through Clare's phone and find what hotel she's staying at and I go down there.

"Clare Edwards was staying here but she's in the hospital and I need to check her out," I tell the front desk.

"We'll need to speak with Miss Edwards or the hospital."

I say of course and call the hospital, the nurse tells them Clare was admitted and how serious her injuries are. I'm able to check her out and get all of her things which I take back to my place. I put all of her clothes in the closet or dresser so it looks like she's been here. I have lots of pictures of Clare and the two of us which I had put away when she broke up with me but I get them all out now and display them again. Clare's phone goes off every few minutes with a text or call for her. I don't answer any of the calls but I reply to a few of the texts from Alli and Jenna. I even reply when Dallas sends a text but ignore everything Drew sends but when he calls my phone I answer. He asks if I've heard from Clare and I reply quickly before hanging up. The last thing I do before returning to the hospital is going to the store to get some food I know Clare likes and stock the fridge and cupboards.

When I get back to the hospital Clare is sleeping, they tell me they replaced the piece of skull they had to take out. Clare sleeps most of the day and I continue to reply to some of the texts from Alli and Jenna to Clare. Clare is still sleeping and the doctor says she'll probably sleep for a few more hours. So I ask the doctor to tell her that I'll be by tomorrow after class and go home to sleep in my own bed. I have a wonderful dream that Clare and I are married and living together and the baby she has is mine and she hates Drew. I wake up determined to make her hate Drew. I attend my classes on Tuesday and then go to the hospital to be with Clare. The doctor tells us she should be able to be released tomorrow afternoon.

"You'll be able to come home tomorrow and sleep with me where you belong," I smile at Clare.

"You should go home tonight Eli, you have class tomorrow and I don't do much besides sleep."

"I'll see you tomorrow, I love you Clare," I reply and kiss her gently.

"I love you too," she smiles.

I go home and do my homework picturing Clare here with me tomorrow. Late tonight after Drew's 1000th text to Clare's phone since Sunday night I text him back to stop texting. By this time tomorrow Clare will be home with me, she'll stay with me we'll get married and have the baby and make a life together. I'll make sure she pulls away from everyone and it will be just the two of us. Clare will be mine forever and no one can stop me!

 **The update on Friday, May 13** **th** **will begin with Eli bringing Clare home and Drew reaches his breaking point of suspicion he decides to do something.**


	3. She is Mine

**And the winner of the poll is…** _ **Love Me Back to Life**_ **by over 40 votes! So that will replace this next week.**

 **As for the other two stories** _ **Girls Next Door,**_ **which came in second place, is a Clew story and will eventually be a Tuesday story but** _ **We Ain't Done Anything I'd Take Back**_ **started only a few weeks ago and** _ **Salvaged & Saved **_**will replace that.**

 **And** _ **Supernatural High**_ **will most likely replace** _ **Swirling Storm Inside**_ **however that is a very long way from ending.**

 **Please note there will be no story on Sunday or Monday because I will be with family and won't have time to write.**

 **It's also a little on the short side tonight sorry lot's going on right now outside of work.**

 **Ch. 3 She is Mine**

 **(ELI)**

"Welcome home Clare," I grin opening the door to my apartment for her. She walks in stopping just inside the door and looks around as I lock up. She takes a few steps inside looking at the apartment, I notice the décor catching her eye. "I know it's mostly my stuff but you've only been with me a couple of weeks and you've spent the last few days in the hospital. Anyway we're looking for a new place for us and the baby and we'll decorate that one together," I tell her.

She nods and smiles picking up a picture of us with Adam from last year.

"I miss Adam," she says softly as she slowly drags her fingers over his image.

"I do too and I hope he wakes up like you did but Drew won't let us see him," I tell her. I'm sure Drew will try and get in touch with her and when he finally succeeds I want her to hate him.

"Why wouldn't Drew let us see him?" Clare asks setting the picture down.

"He's angry because when Bianca dumped him he began flirting with you but we are in love and you rejected him. You and Drew started fighting and he blamed us for the accident. When you left to come to New York you were still fighting, in fact you had already quit student council. Drew turned everyone against us Clare, including Alli and Jenna."

"I can't believe he would do that," Clare says slowly and I see something in her eyes. Not quite a memory but she's fighting it, instinct is telling her this isn't true.

"But he did Clare, you know how Drew is. Think of how he's cheated on Alli and Katie and Bianca, how selfish and petty he can be. He thought there was more to your friendship than there was and when you rejected him he turned on you. Come on you should rest, the doctor said you needed more rest. Here I got you a new phone, you destroyed the other one after a fight with your mom, only I have the number for this one and my number is programed in. Why don't you take a nice long hot shower and then you can lie on the sofa and watch some TV while I make us some lunch."

"A shower does sound nice," she grins.

I get her a towel and show her the washroom. When the shower is on and I know she won't be out for a while I sit down with my laptop and sign into her e-mail. There are several from Alli, Jenna, Drew and even Dallas and Owen. I delete every single one of them and then I e-mail Clare's mom.

 **Mom,**

 **I'm staying in New York and moving in with Eli. I'll be taking the GED but won't be returning to Toronto. You can't stop me I'm old enough to know what I want and I have fallen in love with Eli again and I will not leave him.**

After sending the e-mail I delete the e-mail account. We'll set up a new one for her later when I'm sure she's convinced everyone is against us and I'm all she needs. I set down the computer and begin making lunch for us.

"Eli," Clare calls from the washroom and I rush in.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong I just don't know where my clothes are," she says and I smile.

"Right here, you have these two drawers," I tell her, "and some space in the closet."

"Is this all I brought? It doesn't seem like enough to have moved down here," Clare comments looking at the clothes.

"It's not but you left so quickly you only brought one suitcase. We can get you more clothes, if you want to go back to Toronto for the rest we can go when you're feeling better. But you told me you never wanted to go back because everyone hates us, your parents, your old friends and especially Drew. You came out with the essentials and if there's something you need we'll get it. If you left something behind that you really want we'll go back and get it. We'll just do it covertly, we'll go in and get what you need while your parents are at work and the others are at school."

Clare nods and I go back to making our lunch. I make sure she lies on the sofa and I bring her lunch. I give her the remote and she turns on the TV finding something to watch.

"My head hurts," she complains after lunch.

"You should rest, the doctor said to rest a lot. Do you want to lie in the bed?"

"No this is fine. You can leave the TV on or put on some music or something but I'm going to close my eyes. You must have homework or something," she says.

"Yeah should I do it in the bedroom so I don't bother you?"

"No stay out here," she says scooting down and closing her eyes. I get my laptop again and start on my homework, Clare rests until I start on dinner.

"How did Drew turn Alli and Jenna against me?" She inquires.

"I'm not entirely sure of all the details but you called me very upset. You told me you were fighting with everyone, that Drew had turned them all against you."

"So they believed Drew instead of me?"

"Drew made it seem like you were trying to seduce him, somehow he got pictures of you topless on his phone and showed them around. Made everyone think you sent him the pictures and then when he did something you rejected him just play with his heart. He wouldn't even be able to run student council without you but he'll have to figure it out now. It doesn't matter we don't need any of them, we have my parents and we have our own family now. If you're feeling up to it we should go to the courthouse to get married this weekend. That should allow you to remain in New York on my student visa. I'll talk to my counselor and make sure though."

"Yeah that makes sense, can I do anything?" Clare asks.

"No the only thing you need to do is rest, I'll take care of everything Clare. You don't worry about a thing," I tell her and she smiles.

"I'm glad I still have you Eli, especially since I've lost everyone else," she says in a sad voice.

"You'll always have me Clare, I'm all you'll ever need again, me and our baby," I tell her reaching across the table to take her hand and she smiles kissing my cheek.

 **(DREW)**

"Anyone heard from Clare?" I ask as Alli and Jenna come into my basement. Owen's been here for an hour and he hadn't heard from her. No one has heard from her in more than a day. The last texts we got from her were Wednesday evening and that was a text to Alli to say that Clare was staying in New York.

"No she's not returning texts and now her e-mail account has been deactivated," Alli replies.

"I tried calling her mom and she was angry because Clare's decided to stay in New York. She's just angry but she doesn't seem all that concerned," Jenna informs us.

"I'm calling Eli," I remark getting out my phone. I took Eli's number from Adam's phone.

"Hello?" Eli answers.

"Where is Clare?"

"She's with me, and she's staying with me forever," Eli replies and hangs up.

"Something is up, Eli just told me she's with him and she's staying with him forever. She's not answering our texts, she was ready to talk to me when I dropped her off and she's e-mailed her mom that she's never coming home. Something is wrong, very wrong and I'm going to New York to find out what's going on."

"I'll go with you, you can't drive to New York by yourself," Owen offers.

"I'll cover for you with your mom, I'll tell her you and Owen went camping," Dallas remarks.

"I'd go with you if I could. Something is definitely not right. Find Clare and bring her back, she wouldn't just run off with Eli and never talk to us again, he's done something," Alli says and Jenna nods in agreement.

"I'm leaving now can you leave now?" I ask Owen.

"Yep let's go," Owen nods.

We go out to Owen's car and he begins driving to New York. Mom might kill me for taking off if she finds out I just took off for New York but if I bring Clare back safe it will be worth it. It's a long drive but we drive pretty fast as long as the cops aren't around. We're so concerned we make the entire drive straight through and only stop for gas at which time we get snacks and water. It's a long drive but we trade off and I'm so worried about Clare it doesn't even matter to me. Thankfully Owen is willing to do this with me because this really would have sucked trying to do this drive alone.

"I just realized I have no idea where to go once we reach Manhattan," I comment to Owen once we've passed the border.

"I'll call Dallas and have them figure out where Eli lives. I'm sure they can find it somehow," Owen remarks and gets out his phone.

He calls Dallas and tells him we need to find Eli's address and Dallas says they're on it. Dallas also says he told my mom I went camping with Owen and might stay until Sunday night so we have a few days. We keep driving toward Manhattan until we hear from Dallas, he texts us Eli's address and Owen puts it in his phone to get directions. We find Eli's building and then I start pressing buttons until someone lets us in. We find Eli's apartment and I bang on the door. Clare opens it, sees us, glowers at me and slams the door again.

"Well she's alive but she's here which mean Eli does have her and somehow he's turned her against you," Owen comments.

"Yeah but how? When I took her to the airport she was happy and willing to talk. She seemed to be excited about it, even kissed my cheek and now she looks like she hates me," I remark as I start banging on the door again.

"GO AWAY DREW!" Clare yells back.

"Clare I don't know what Eli told you but we need to talk," I call through the door. Clare comes back and flings the door open again, she narrows her eyes at me with her hand on her hip.

"I don't even know what you're doing here if you hate me so much because I turned down your advances and then you turned all my friends against me," Clare huffs.

I'm dumbfounded, how can she think these things are true? She knows what happened, did Eli brainwash her?

"Clare you know that's not true," I reply slowly in a hurt tone.

"Why were you in the hospital?" Owen asks picking up her hand and looking at her wrist. You can see the marks from an IV, and now I notice dark circles under eyes.

"I hit my head and was unconscious for a day. And when I woke up I didn't remember anything from Thanksgiving but Eli told me everything," she tells us turning away and we step inside. Owen closes and locks the door behind us.

"What exactly did Eli tell you?" I ask her.

"He told me that I moved in with him, told me how you came onto me and when I turned you down you turned everyone against me. Now I think you should both go I'm not coming back to Toronto and tomorrow I will be Clare Goldsworthy."

"Clare none of that is true a…hold it you're getting married tomorrow?" I exclaim.

"Yes."

"Why the hell would you get married to him?!"

"Because we're in love and we're going to have a baby," she says and my heart pounds briefly before dropping.

"You're pregnant?"

"Clare how pregnant are you?" Owen inquires.

"Ten weeks," she says and it takes me a moment to count back ten weeks in my head.

"Clare if you're ten weeks pregnant the baby is mine not Eli's," I inform her.

I watch her face go from indignation to doubt to confusion.

"No but Eli said…he told me…" she stumbles over her words.

"He lied to you Clare, he's been lying to you about everything, none of what he told you is true," I tell her.

Just then we hear a key in the lock, the door opens and Eli comes in. He sees me and glares at me like he's ready to kill me but I'm glaring at him in exactly the same way. Clare looks between us with bewilderment I suppose trying to decide which of us is telling the truth.

"Get the hell out of our house Clare is mine!" Eli growls and I clench my fist.

 **Sorry it was a bit on the short side but I left it on a nice cliffhanger for you! The update on Thursday June 16** **th** **will pick up from right here and that will also be the last chapter.**


	4. Piecing the Puzzle

**Last chapter everyone I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Ch. 4 Piecing the Puzzle**

 **(CLARE)**

Eli unlocks the door and he and Drew stare each other down, both clenching their fists. I'm sure a fight is about to break out but I'm still bewildered by Drew's claim. If it's his baby then Eli lied to me, he's been lying to me this whole time and he tricked me into being with him again.

"Get the hell out of our house Clare is mine!" Eli snarls.

"You tricked her, you lied to her and you trapped her here turning her against me," Drew growls and then they advance on each other.

"WHAT DID YOU TELL HER? WHAT LIES ARE YOU PUTTING IN HER HEAD?" Eli yells trying to punch Drew but Drew dodges the punch. "Clare don't listen to him, whatever he told you it's lie. You know you what Drew's like Clare. He lies and he cheats on everyone," Eli tells me and now Drew tries to hit Eli but Eli ducks.

"He cheated on you too, twice and he crashed his car, think of all the things he's done in your relationship. All the things he's done to you in your relationship," Drew says to me.

"No don't listen to him Clare he doesn't love you," Eli asserts. They seem to have given up on punches and are just attacking each other on the floor.

"No Eli doesn't love you he wants to control you," Drew insists as the roll around on the floor.

"Don't listen to him Clare I love you more than anything."

"He doesn't love you I do."

"STOP IT!" I scream and they stop. "Stop it just stop it." I run out of the apartment to the hall. I feel like I can't breathe and I want some air.

"Clare," Owen calls chasing after me and quickly catching up to me.

"I don't know what to believe, I don't remember. Eli said…he told me everything," I sigh leaning against the wall.

"Eli told you lots of things I'm sure but how many of them do you know to be true? Think about what he told you, think about the things you know in your heart. All the things Eli told you, what you know about Eli and about Drew. Even if your head forgot your heart remembers," Owen says.

I close my eyes and think about everything Eli told me since I woke up in the hospital. _"You came to New York to live with me because we found out you were pregnant. Ten weeks pregnant with my child and we're going to move in together and get married."_ It was one of the first things he said to me when I woke up. I was so shocked that I was pregnant and so confused because I didn't remember anything I really didn't think about what he was telling me. Running away to get married to anyone is not something I would do, not even if I was pregnant. _"When you told them you were pregnant they were furious and they kicked you out. That's why you came to New York so quickly to live with me."_ That sounds like something my mom might do but she's calmed down a lot since being married to Glen. And I'm sure in my heart that Mom wouldn't just explode and even if she did and I ran to New York she would have come to see me in the hospital. _"Drew won't let us see Adam. He's angry because when Bianca dumped him he began flirting with you but we are in love and you rejected him. You and Drew started fighting and he blamed us for the accident. When you left to come to New York you were still fighting, in fact you had already quit student council. Drew turned everyone against us Clare, including Alli and Jenna."_ That doesn't sound like Drew, I know he's been a jerk sometimes but he'd never keep us from seeing Adam. And my heart tells me Drew wouldn't turn everyone against me and that it didn't happen that way. But if everything Eli told me was a lie then what's the truth? What has happened since October? Who's baby am I carrying? What happened to me and Eli and between me and Drew?

"My heart tells me that what Eli told me isn't true but I don't know what is."

"That's okay your heart knows what the truth is, the rest will come. Now we should probably get back in there before they kill each other."

"I think they may have already," I comment and Owen grins. He puts his hand on my shoulder and we walk back in. Drew and Eli are still on the floor and trying to kill each other.

"KNOCK IT OFF BOTH OF YOU!" Owen yells and they both stop. "It's not really up to either of you, Clare what do you want to do?" Owen asks me and the three of them look at me.

"I…I don't know but I don't think I belong in New York right now I think I need to go home."

"Clare this is your home you can't go with them," Eli insists.

"You don't want her to go home because she'll discover the truth and know that you lied," Drew responds with a venom laced tone.

"Eli I need to go home and this is not my home. Thanks for taking care of me for the last few days but could you please leave so I can get my stuff?"

"No I'm not leaving and I'm not letting you go with them."

"Don't you dare try and stop us, she wants to go home we're taking her home. You've been holding her here for days and feeding her lies. Lies that I'm sure suited whatever you wanted and nothing that was the truth. Get out and let her pack or I'll call the cops and you can explain to them what you did," Drew tells him.

"Clare I…" Eli begins with a begging tone but I cut him off.

"Eli please," I demand with tears in my eyes and point to the door. Eli growls and narrows his eyes before he storms out. I'm shaking slightly and feel like I might throw up. "My stuff is in the bedroom," I tell them after a moment.

"I'll help you get your stuff," Drew offers.

"Do you mind if Owen does it? No offense but I'm really confused right now and not sure about my relationship with you or Eli. I am sure that Owen and I are friends and he hasn't lied to me."

"Yeah no problem, I'll watch for Eli and text Alli and Jenna that you're safe," Drew says.

"Alli and Jenna don't hate me do they?"

"No Clare, they don't hate you they couldn't. They're still your friends, your best friends and they've been worried about you. Dallas too, I'll let them know you're safe and we're coming home," Drew says and I smile a little but if fades quickly. If Eli was lying about that then he probably was lying about everything.

"I think my suitcases are in here but…I…" I stumble over my words and start to shake. When I woke up in the hospital I didn't remember what had happened but I didn't realize I had missing time until Eli told me the date. It's a horrible feeling to have a block of missing time, not just an hour or a day or two but months of missing time. It's like trying to put together a puzzle and most of it is together but an entire chunk near one edge is missing and you can't make out the picture. I was confused, felt cheated and was a little scared when I realized so much time was gone and from me and my memories had been stolen. I didn't even remember that I was pregnant but then Eli filled in the blanks. As much as I still felt cheated and scared and confused I felt better because Eli filled in the blanks and while I couldn't remember any of it I could picture it and most of it was happy. But now not only are many pieces of the puzzle missing but Eli put in pieces that don't fit.

"It's okay Clare we'll find your bags and your stuff," Owen says putting his hand on my shoulder.

I give Owen a small appreciative smile and we walk into the bedroom. Owen finds my suitcase in the closet and we find my clothes and toiletries. When we have all my stuff we leave the apartment and go down to Owen's car.

"It's pretty late we should get a hotel and then we ca grab some dinner," Owen comments as she starts driving.

"Yeah good idea," Drew agrees and I just nod a little. I'm sort of in a state of shock. A few days ago I wake up in the hospital with five months of memories missing and find out I'm pregnant. Then I find out that what I thought had happened in those months is probably nothing but lies and now I don't know what to think or to believe. I don't even know what I'm feeling.

Owen stops at a motel and he goes in with Drew, they come back out after a few minutes driving down a little before parking in front of a room. We get out of the car and get our bags, I follow them to the second floor and Drew hands me a key.

"We got two double rooms, I wasn't sure if you wanted me…er one of us to be in the room with you or you wanted one to yourself. The rooms are next to each other so we won't be far," Drew tells me.

"Thanks."

"We should get some dinner, we'll come get you in ten minutes," Owen says and I nod.

I open the door and go in the room. It's a standard motel room, two double beds and table with two chairs, a washroom, closet, coffeepot and mini-fridge. I set my suitcase down and sink down on the edge of the bed. I feel lost and sort of like I'm drowning. I wasn't happy when I thought my parents and friends were against me or hated me but at least there were some things that were happy. I was still in love with Eli, which I remembered being or at least I was in October. I was moving in with Eli and we were going to live together and raise the baby together, we were going to get married in a few days but what will happen now.

"Clare we're going to dinner," Drew calls knocking on the door and it startles me from my thoughts.

I get up and go to the door, Drew grins when I open it. I grab the key and my purse and go with them back to Owen's car. We drive a few blocks before finding a restaurant we agree to eat it, well the boys agree I'm still in shock. We go in and look at the menu, I don't feel that hungry but I do order some food.

"Did you know about the baby?" I ask Drew after the waiter brings our drinks.

"No I had no idea, not until we came there today and you told me you were going to marry Eli because you're pregnant. When you said you were ten weeks pregnant I realized the baby had to be mine. We made love in the storage room at school during the dance, you took my cowboy hat and were dressed in that sexy saloon dress."

"I don't remember that, I don't remember any of that," I shake my head with tears in my eyes. "Are we dating? Why didn't you come for me sooner?"

"I should have but we aren't dating Clare, in fact we've barely spoken since then. Eli came and you were talking with him and I told Dallas what we did, he mentioned that I might be your rebound. I listened to him even though I shouldn't have. I told you I wouldn't be a rebound and walked out. You were angry at me as you should have been and things were tense between us. I took you to the airport for your interview last week and I apologized and you apologized and we were going to talk when you got back. I was going to pick you up from the airport on Sunday and we were going to talk but I swear to you I had no idea you were pregnant."

The waitress brings our food and the boys start eating but I just look at the plate and start turning it slowly. Everything Drew just told me goes through my head.

"Clare are you okay?" Owen questions.

"I don't know, I don't remember any of this, so much of my life is missing and what I thought was the truth isn't."

Drew moves over to my side of the booth and puts his arm around me, "We'll help you get your memory back Clare. Your real memories back, good and bad, we'll fill in the blanks and hopefully your memory will return. Even if it never does we're here for you. I didn't know you were pregnant but now that I do we'll figure it out together."

"What else have I missed? My parents? Do my parents hate me? Do they know I'm pregnant?"

"I don't think anyone knows your pregnant except for us and Eli. I don't think your parents would have let you stay in New York if they knew. Your mom thinks you're staying in New York, you e-mailed her and told her you were staying," Drew tells me.

"I haven't sent any e-mails…Eli. He must have sent the e-mail."

"I think Eli has been doing all your communication for the last several days. Have sent any texts?" Owen inquires.

"No I haven't had my phone for days, not since waking up in the hospital. Eli must taken it and has been sending people texts as me, and e-mails. He's lied to me and to everyone," I sigh sinking down in the booth and pushing my plate away.

"Clare you need to eat," Drew encourages pulling the plate back toward me.

"I'm not hungry, I just feel sick."

"What Eli did was wrong but we'll help you fill in the holes and get your memory back. We got you away from Eli and we're taking you home. You're pregnant Clare, there's a baby in there," Drew says putting his hand on my stomach, "my baby and you need to eat something. Tomorrow we'll get home and we'll help you get your life back together."

"Adam? What about Adam?"

"He's still in a coma," Drew tells me.

"Can I see him?" I request.

"Of course you can, you can see him as soon as we're back if you want."

"So Eli lied about that too."

"Pretty sure Eli lied about everything except for the fact that you're pregnant," Owen replies and we're quiet for a moment before Drew insists I eat again.

I'm still not hungry but I manage to eat about half of the salad I ordered. After eating we return to the hotel and Owen says to get some sleep since we'll be leaving early. I say goodnight and go into my room changing into pajamas and getting ready for bed. I get in bed but I can't sleep. All I can think is how much Eli tricked me, that everything he said was a lie and probably a lie that suited him. I thought I had some idea of what had been going on in my life for the last five months but I have none, except for the little bit that Drew and Owen told me. I get up and send a text to Drew asking him to come to my room. Only a few seconds later there's a knock on my door and I get up to unlock it.

"Are you okay?"

"No I'm not okay five months of my life are missing. I did all this stuff and I don't remember any of it. Eli told me one thing and you're telling me another and I'm just…lost."

Drew locks my door again and takes me back to the bed sitting on it with me, "What's the last thing you clearly remember?"

"A couple days before Thanksgiving. You had just told me that we were doing the dinner for needy families. I was really happy because Eli was coming out. I don't remember breaking up with him or getting together with you."

"Don't think about what you don't remember right now. Do you remember the two of us running student council together? Do you remember me helping you right your article? Do remember me falling asleep on you in the student council office?"

"Yes I remember all that," I nod.

"Remember us becoming close friends? Relying on each other and finding support in the other as we spent hours at Adam's bedside?"

"Yes I remember all of that too."

"Think about how you felt being with me at my house and sitting in Adam's room, talking to him and then doing our homework together. Remember even with chemo brain you had to help me," Drew says and I smile.

"I do remember that, I liked those times except for the fact that Adam was there and not there. During those days I felt I was really getting to know you even though I'd known you for two years."

"Yeah me too," Drew grins.

"Will you tell me what happened Drew? What happened at Thanksgiving? Why did I break up with Eli and when did you and become so close I'd have sex with you?"

"There's a lot to tell," Drew replies.

"I'm not tired I just want to know the truth. Nothing Eli said evoked any sort of memory or even familiar feeling but since my last memory is when I was still dating Eli I took what he said as truth. I didn't think he had any reason to lie to me. I can't be a hundred percent certain that you won't lie to me but what you have told me are things I do remember or they at least evoke this deep, if not vague, sense of familiarity."

"Okay get comfortable and I'll tell you everything, hopefully Owen doesn't mind driving most of the way tomorrow."

I smile and get comfortable in the bed again, Drew gets in the bed and he tells me everything. He begins with the dinner and how I found out Eli cheated and then I kissed Drew. He admits to his mistakes, to falling in with Zoe because he was hurt and wanted to forget me and forget that I'd gone back to Eli even after he cheated. I hear about all of it to the moment he and Owen arrived at Eli's door to bring me home.

"I still don't remember any of it but some of it was familiar and it was believable especially the part about you getting together with Zoe just to spite me."

"Hey it wasn't just to spite you…exactly. It was stupid and I regret it but I wanted to be with you and it scared me."

"I wish I could remember; I wish I could remember any of those moments. I wish I could remember the emotions even, being angry at you, the feeling of making love to you," I say the last part quietly but Drew hears me.

"Well I can tell you that you were smiling the entire time, even when you were climaxing and especially when you were moaning. I can tell you that you looked damn sexy in that dress and when you kissed me my toes curled. I can't tell you what you felt for certain but I can tell you what I was feeling. Besides happy and horny, I was feeling a sense of amazement that a girl as incredibly incredible as you was with me," he says and I smile.

"I'm starting to get tired but I'm almost afraid to go to sleep," I admit.

"You should get some sleep, we both should. I promise I'll be here when you wake up."

I turn off the light and my eyes close, I guess I was more tired than I thought because I fall asleep after only a couple of minutes. We both wake up to Owen knocking on the door and Drew is still here like he promised. We get up and he goes to his room to get dressed and ready. By the time I'm dressed and leave the room Owen has checked us out of the hotel and Drew is getting their bags in the car. Drew and I both fall asleep in the car for a couple more hours and then Drew takes over driving. We stop for lunch and gas but otherwise drive straight through and arrive in Toronto a little after seven in the evening. I spent most of the drive either asking the boys questions or doing a lot of thinking.

"Can we go to your house I want to see Adam?" I request when we're getting near my house.

"Yeah sure," Drew nods.

He drives us to his house and we all get out going into the basement which is empty. I do remember where Adam is and I walk back to his room. I sit down next to Adam and take his hand in mine. Drew sits on other side of Adam's bed and he smiles at me. Suddenly I'm hit with a memory and I gasp.

"I remember, I remember sitting here with Adam and holding his hand talking to him. I was telling him…about my day I think. You were sitting there and you grinned at me just like that. I got butterflies in stomach, my heart was pounding and I bit my lip. I was flirting back and I felt good but also guilty because I was with Eli. That's all I remember, it's only a couple of seconds of memory but it's something. It's a tiny portion of a puzzle piece of missing memory but it's something and it means I could get the rest of my memory back."

 **(DREW)**

"Oh!" Clare exclaims and I look at her. "Uh Drew I think this it," she tells me.

"This is it? Okay uh keys and bag and…and…"

"Owen," Clare calls and he comes out of his room, "I think I'm in labor and I think Drew's stopped thinking."

"You get her and I'll get the bag," Owen says to me.

"Yeah okay good plan," I nod put my arms around Clare to get her down to the car.

It's been six months since we rescued Clare from Eli. Since that first memory she had when she was in Adam's room she's started to remember more. Some of it is still blank but some of it she has remembered, including when we made love. I took her home after dinner that night and stayed with her while she told her parents everything that happened. Her mom was really angry but not at Clare, Helen wanted to press charges against Eli but Clare just wanted to be done with it. Helen was pretty shocked that Clare was pregnant too but after I assured her that I would take care of Clare and the baby and I cared about them both deeply she was more okay with it.

After telling her parents we told Dallas, Alli, Jenna and Connor and then we told my parents. Mom almost passed out but in the end I was able to convince her it was a good thing. After telling everyone that she'd had amnesia and that she's pregnant with my baby Clare and I spent a lot of time together. We did finally have that talk, although it probably went a lot differently than it would had she not lost her memory. As much as I hate that it happened to her, and even though I'd already told her everything since Thanksgiving, it was kind of like a reboot to our relationship. A sort of rewind to start over, I was able to do things properly. Clare and I started dating and after a few weeks I asked her to be my girlfriend and she said yes.

Clare found out she got into Columbia but after telling them about the amnesia and the pregnancy she decided to defer for a year and they understood. They're holding her spot for next year though and we already have plans to move to New York. Until then we're sharing an apartment with Owen, it was his idea actually. We only live two blocks from my parents and still see Adam every day but he hasn't woken up yet. After we graduated I got my old job at the cell phone kiosk back so I could work and save money. Clare's been working all summer as a copywriter which she was able to do from home.

"How far apart are the contractions?" I ask Clare as Owen begins driving to the hospital.

"About ten minutes right now," Clare says.

"I'll call your parents while you guys get checked in when we get to the hospital," Owen comments. Adam is still in a coma, and Alli, Jenna, Connor and Dallas all moved away at least a month ago to go to college in various places.

"Thanks Owen," I grin and Clare squeezes my hand just as she's hit by another contraction.

We reach the hospital a few minutes later and I take Clare in while Owen parks. They put Clare in a wheelchair and take her up to labor and delivery while I follow behind. They give her a gown and I help her change, then she's hooked to monitors and an IV. It's a lot of activity at first but then people leave and it's just us.

"I can't believe I'm about to be a dad," I grin taking Clare's hand.

"You've been a dad this whole time but you're about to meet our son," Clare corrects me.

"Yes I am," I smile putting my hand on her belly. When we found out we were having a boy we agreed to name him Adam.

Owen comes in and says he called both sets of parents and they are on their way. Owen tells us he'll be in the waiting room and just after he leaves the doctor comes in right as Clare's having another contraction. He checks how dilated she is and says he'll send in the anesthetist for her epidural. Our parents come in just after Clare gets her epidural and she's feeling much better. All the parents stop in to say hi and see how we're doing before going out to the waiting room.

I know Mom was in labor with me for over 12 hours because she likes to tell me so when she's mad at me. Clare's labor is less than four hours, once we're at the hospital things go very quickly. The first time I hear my son's cry it makes my heart swell. It's an amazing sound and I grin but when I see him for the first time it's a sensation I can't even put into words. They ask me if I want to cut the cord and I do, I cut the cord and then they take him for cleaning and stuff and Clare gabs my hand.

"Is he okay?"

"He's perfect," I tell her.

"Here he is Mama," a nurse says handing our son, now swaddled in a blanket, to Clare.

"Oh he's amazing, hi Adam," Clare grins kissing his forehead.

I kiss him too and gaze at him with love and wonder. After a while longer the doctor is finally done and the nurse says other people can come in. I go out to the waiting room and tell them to come meet my son. Everyone comes back and gushes over baby Adam. They stay for several hours but Clare is tired and eventually they go home. When it's just me, Clare and baby Adam I get on the bed and put my arms around my girlfriend and my son.

"I love you baby Adam, more than I can tell you," I smile stroking my son's cheek with one finger and then I look up at Clare. "I love you Clare, more than I can tell you," I tell her before snatching her lips into a kiss.

 **That's it for this story I hope you all enjoyed it. Replacing this will be** ** _A Light in a World of Dark_** **which will premier during short story month in July.**


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